Who is going to Billing then?

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Well I went yesterday for the 1st time. If you like camping/caravan ing in a field with loads of landrovers then I can see the attraction. Walking around the campsite was far better than the "show". It was a 2hour river each way. Only £15 per adult, but on balance, probably not what I was expecting as there where not as many trade stands and spares available as I thought there would be!!
 
Just got back.

Been every year since the very first one 25-years ago (used to stop all week but am now just a day visitor) and I have to say I think it was better than the last few years, seemed to have a bit more atmosphere about it (will never be like the early ones but things change).

Spent a bit.
Complete set of Optimill door-hinges (REALLY like the external door-handles c/w security lock which are currently in development and will definitely have a set when they are available). Also bought a fuse-box cover from Raptor.
Nothing like as many traders as there used to be but shopping habits have changed a lot in recent years and it doesn't pay a lot of them to go, still a varied selection though and if you are into S/H parts then there is still a decent selection to choose from.

Glad I went to keep up the tradition. :)
 
Well I went with a couple of friends for the first time this year as day visitors and will happily admit that we are already talking about camping next year (just need to but that roof tent!).

Bit disappointed by the trade but as Litch says habits have changed particularly with respect to buying parts off 'tinterweb thingumy.
Did get some good deals on the odd part that I wanted, also cracking deals on service parts from the likes of Duckworth.

All in all a cracking and varied day out especially walking around looking at the 'porn' as Shaun stated.

Cheers

Andy
 
Peterborough is a better show IMO but lack of trade stands with discounts. second hand stuff always way better!

Will try to get a camping pitch this year
 
Ah well for sure times are changing, talking to mates who have been trading for years are starting to admit that the internet is starting to rule the world, oh and flea bay isn't helping. However for me is great to walk round natter to people and pick and choose and actually feel what you want to buy. and you can do a bit of haggling and get a deal here and there, but to keep these shows going we need support them. I was impressed to see a lot of the younger generations walking and asking questions.
for a 25 year anniversary it was a little dissapointing. but come on its what we all love doing, its a bloody lonely life sometimes working on your motor, and seeing like minded folk is great, one thing though the price of food is disgusting, this needs looking at £4 for a 2 rasher bacon roll which was past its best and 2 quid for a bottle of coke is a massive **** take.
Anyway can wait for the king of landy shows at peterborough it still rocks, as much as Billing tries its got a lot to do to beat that...
 
just got back went down friday in my series 1 with my mate in his lightweight will say they ahve upped the standard of housekeeping always seemed to be someone cleaning the bogs unlike previous years when they have been disgusting as previously said not so many traders as there used to be i blame live promotions rip off mearchants
 
We have just got back although we went in the transit with the caravan, we stayed at the camp site where the off road course was,

Bought alsorts of bits like a boost pin and so do electrical items, hoodie

I wanted to oddsey battery's but they where only to order and more than at my local car Spairs place,
 
The off road coarse was really c**p , a fiat uno could have gone round no problem.
Spare parts new and used were not cheap and £15 for looking at stuff to buy is a massive rip off.
Not going ever again, c**p
 
went Saturday and was a brill day, been the last 3 years and this was the best yet,
 
spencer1885 said:
The off road coarse was really c**p , a fiat uno could have gone round no problem.
Spare parts new and used were not cheap and £15 for looking at stuff to buy is a massive rip off.
Not going ever again, c**p
Click to expand...
There was a lot of people having to fix there motors after having a play, a few drowned td5's, some stuff was cheep other stuff like snapon tools were more expensive than new,

Try Peterborough show later this month
 
We went yesterday and thought it was better than last year but it still could be better, never done peterborough and can't do it this year but son and i have said we will do peterborough instead next year for a change.

the problem with billing is years ago billing was the only landy show in the UK but now there are quit a few so all the shows are competing against each other now :(
 
I went on Friday (I was the idiot walking round in bike gear in 20 degree heat in case anyone saw me) and I did enjoy mooching round it and plenty of inspiration for when i do get a landy.

A few gripes however.
1) firstly no signage for the show or parking once in the site, toured round the complete site before I stopped and asked.
2) No parking to speak off unless you're camping and had to park the bike on gravel which is never ideal.
3) Show itself was quite small not many trade stands.
4) £15 for a show that size is a complete mickey take if I'm honest, I go to the Stafford classic bike show twice a year that's 3 times the size at least and that's only £12!
 
Billing Aquadrome was sold to a company that has increased the prices by a huge margine which is why many stall holders are not going.
The original owner is dismayed at what they are doing and openly said they are going to kill the event all together with the pricing changes they are making.
He said many of the stall holders and traders have spoke to him and complained at the hike in fees and he sympathises with them, they all have said the same thing, the costs to stand at the show no longer make it a worth while event to come to especially the smaller traders.

Sad really, it was a great day out.
 
Billing is not what is was years ago, it just got too popular and too many problems with the numbers attending, having said that its still a good show
 
I went to the first Billing show back in the 1989 1990 sometime then, just £5 to get in for the vehicle and any amount of passengers, there was just one road then with trade stands Land Rover was there with their display with vehicles driven up very high on that steel rail track arrangement thay bolted together.

Anyway returned every year so saw the entrance fee slowly rise till the last time I went to Billing it was £10 per person.
The last time I was at Billing was when the great storm blew up from nowhere in the afternoon sending most of the trade stands and tents every where, I believe someone also lost their life that day.

Billing did get better on each visit so they built the pub which I believe wasn't there in the early 90s, which was good news as we now could get a good lunch, but then the Paddock's Craddocks's DLS etc decided to pull out, it then went down hill.
LRO then moved their show to Warwick one year, then moved to Peterborough, which is still good by the sound of it.

But now, been there done that, so I find car shows the same old stuff, and with the costs involved don't bother anymore. :(
 
we used to go back in the early 90's when it 1st started, the last time we went was early 2000 (maybe 2003), but just after our friend died and we never went back, it would never be the same without him. Also, 1 of the traders was blasting happy hardcore until 4am right next to our plot, which the parents weren't too happy about!

sadly, billing has gone really down hill from what I have heard and is way tooo expensive for what it is. It'll never be the same like it was in the 90's
 
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